Darrius Shepherd Named 2023 XFL Special Teams Player of the Year St. Louis Battlehawks
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WR Darrius Shepherd Returns To St. Louis Battlehawks For 2024

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The St. Louis Battlehawks are already making moves in UFL free agency. WR Darrius Shepherd has announced that he is returning to the city, poised to have another excellent season with the team in 2024.

USFL & XFL Career

Shepherd is a spring football veteran at this point, proving his worth in both the USFL and the XFL. Darrius played with the New Jersey Generals during the 2022 season, and was a key piece to their 9-1 run.

He finished the year with 323 receiving yards and a touchdown, which led to an NFL stint with the Denver Broncos.

After his time in Denver, Shepherd decided to sign with the St. Louis Battlehawks in the XFL. Shepherd quickly got to work as one of the top receivers in the league, proving to be an important target for AJ McCarron.

Darrius posted 519 receiving yards and six scores, dominating in an offense that was unstoppable for large portions of the year.

However, Darrius Shepherd also made himself quite useful on special teams. Anthony Becht unlocked a side of Darrius that we hadn’t seen yet in spring football, putting him at kick returner. This proved to be an excellent move, as Shepherd racked up 907 KR return yards, with a long of 80 yards – which earned him XFL Special Teams Player of the Year honors.

This led to another trip to the NFL, this time with the Los Angeles Chargers. Shepherd spent the preseason with the team, but was ultimately let go on September 1st with an injury settlement.

Final Thoughts

Now, Shepherd returns to his XFL team – this time, in the merged UFL league. The St. Louis Battlehawks have made some big-time additions throughout the dispersal draft process, and now bring back one of their top playmakers from 2023.

What are your thoughts on Darrius Shepherd returning to the St. Louis Battlehawks? Which players should the team pursue next? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!

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